


late night devil, put your hands on me

by passengers



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Angels and Demons, M/M, controversial opinions about pastries, nolan wouldn't know what normal is if it kicked him in the face, not exactly a coffee shop au but there's a coffee shop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:00:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23534488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/passengers/pseuds/passengers
Summary: Nolan didn’t even bat an eyelid anymore when he saw demons out of the corner of his eye. He had seen them ever since he could remember.The hot guy he had been dreaming about ever since he had turned 18 coming through the door of the coffee shop Nolan worked in at 9:16 on a Wednesday? That was different.
Relationships: Nico Hischier/Nolan Patrick, Nolan Patrick & Travis Konecny
Comments: 13
Kudos: 109





	late night devil, put your hands on me

**Author's Note:**

> IF YOU FOUND THIS GOOGLING, KNOW ANYONE MENTIONED HERE PERSONALLY, OR ARE MENTIONED YOURSELF: please, please, PLEASE (please) close the tab. This is just a work of fiction.

Nolan didn’t even bat an eyelid anymore when he saw demons out of the corner of his eye. He had seen them ever since he could remember. His mom had always said everyone had nightmares and that, eventually, they went away. Nolan didn’t have the heart to tell her he saw them when he was awake and the sun was shining.

But the demons never got too close or tried to attack him. They were just there, watching, waiting.

For what, Nolan didn’t know.

So demons with claws, bloodied faces, hooves for feet, fur instead of skin, no eyes (or too many eyes), mouths full of fangs or rotten flesh hanging from their faces didn’t scare him. He just nodded at them. The way he saw it, if his hallucinations were going to follow him everywhere, the least he could do was be kind to them. Sometimes, they nodded back. Other times, they bowed. Weird.

But again, Nolan saw _demons_. So.

That’s why, when he saw the three-eyed demon with grey matted fur and hooves for legs on Wednesday morning on his way to work, he didn’t freak out. It was early enough that there weren’t many people on the street, so Nolan risked a tiny wave. He had seen him so many times already, he almost felt like part of his family. The demon bowed, and Nolan hid his face in his scarf and kept walking.

The good thing about opening the coffee shop was that there were no people around. He had his routine down to the minute, so he was left with his intrusive thoughts while he did everything mechanically.

He was supposed to share the morning shift with TK, but he was no good before 8 am, so Nolan let him sleep until 7:30 while he opened the shop alone. It was easy. And he liked the peace and quiet before the craziness of the morning rush descended on him.

He didn’t need TK to help him pull the chairs down from the tables and getting the place ready. Besides, being alone meant he got to choose the playlist and didn’t have to deal with TK’s incessant complaints about how his choices “are not real music, Patty, it’s too early to be this depressed, jeez.”

Five years of friendship hadn’t been enough for Nolan to convince TK country music and his camo wardrobe didn’t mix. That didn’t mean he would stop trying, though. And Jolene was absolutely about a lesbian. And Miley’s version was gold, fuck you very much, Teeks.

Also, no TK in the shop meant Nolan got to arrange the pastry display correctly. Who the hell put the strawberry frost doughnuts next to the jelly ones. Every person with half a brain cell knew they went next to the double chocolate doughnuts, whereas the jelly doughnuts went next to the glazed ones and the cinnamon rolls. It was common sense, but TK didn’t have an excess of it, so.

It took him three times to get the speakers to work, and maybe he should invest some money to buy a new set, but every time he thought they were dead for good, he patted them violently a couple of times and they started working again. So Nolan just kept the money.

TK shuffled through the door at around 7:36, eyes barely open, a camo snapback over his unkempt hair. He made a beeline for the coffee machine, poured himself a cup of black coffee, drank it one long gulp, and repeated the action before pulling his apron over his head, one arm hugging Nolan and flipping the door sign to open.

“The strawberry frost doughnuts go next to the jelly ones, bud,” TK said behind the counter, head resting on his hand, staring at the door.

They argued about it every single morning.

“Get here in time next time and arrange them however you want, Teeks,” Nolan said, stacking the paper cups next to the coffee machine.

“Oh, I will.”

They both knew it was a lost cause. Even if TK got to the shop in time, Nolan always changed the pastry display to his liking. And when he took his break, TK made a mess of it. Nolan still remembered the day he had spelt ‘eat up, bud,’ in bright pink doughnuts. There’s a reason Nolan didn’t let him write on the board anymore.

The tiny bell above the door tinkled when the first customer opened the door, bringing a gust of cold wind inside. Nolan hurried to make her order instead of focusing on the demon that was staring at him from the other side of the window. He had claws and no eyes, tall as a tree, but when Nolan sent a smile his way, he bowed before disappearing in a black cloud. Cool party trick, Nolan thought while he finished preparing the woman’s drink. She was a regular. TK probably knew her name, family history and favourite hockey team, but Nolan knew her coffee order, which was vital information in his book.

As soon as she left, the door opened again and a string of customers poured in. Camila was absent today, something about her boyfriend being sick, and Amanda wasn’t coming until midday because she had a paper due tomorrow. So it was Nolan and TK manning the shop until then.

And it usually worked. Nolan was good at making drinks and TK was good at chatting people up and making them forget they actually had to wait for their coffee. Except of course today had to be different.

Nolan had been seeing demons since he could remember. Always from the corner of his eye when he was young and then from a distance when he grew up. They never came close or talked to him, but they were there. Like snow in winter, TK’s soft snoring at night, or his mom’s bi-weekly calls, they were a constant in his life. He had come to accept it. He didn’t bat an eyelid when he saw them anymore. Some people had weird lives. Nolan was one of them. So seeing monsters during the day? Totally cool in his book.

The hot guy he had been dreaming about ever since he had turned 18 coming through the door of the coffee shop Nolan worked in at 9:16 on a Wednesday? That was different.

Demons he could deal with. Brown eyes and a wicked smile were his kryptonite apparently.

“You okay, bud?” TK said, and Nolan realized he had dropped a cup, coffee and milk and cream spilling accusingly all over the counter.

Nolan looked at the mess he had made with a detachment that had no place at this moment. He hadn’t spilt a cup. Ever. There was one thing and one thing only he was good at and that was managing this stupid coffee shop. He didn’t ask for much in life. As long as the speakers worked, TK didn’t forget to buy beer and the sushi place around the corner of their apartment didn’t run out of spring rolls, Nolan was content with his lot in life.

“Bud?” TK tried, and a part of Nolan realized not even TK’s annoyingly charming personality was going to be enough to keep the ever-growing line of clients at bay if Nolan didn’t start moving. Like, soon. Preferably, right about fucking now.

“Pats?” TK whispered, touching his lower back.

Nolan risked a glance over his shoulder and yep, his wet dream of the last seven years was smiling at him and looked very real.

“Are you having a heart attack?” TK said. “Does that mean I get to write on the board again? I was thinking of ‘The Bible said Adam _and_ Eve, so God supports bisexuals.’”

“What’s that got to do with coffee?”

“I’d obviously add ‘Grab a coffee _and a_ doughnut and be your fabulous bi self!’”

Nolan grabbed him by the apron.

“Teeks, focus for a second,” he said as if Nolan wasn’t the one having a crisis in the middle of rush hour. “Do you see the hot guy at the back of the line?”

Nolan should have expected this because TK had the subtlety of a baby dragon, but he wasn’t thinking clearly. TK turned around and stood on his tiptoes, watching the crowd, his hand over his eyes as if he was shielding them from the sun.

“Short brown hair, black coat, red scarf, looks like an Aries?”

Nolan shook his head.

“_Yes_.”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding defeated for some reason. “I see him, why?”

Fucking shit.

The good thing about this was that Nolan wasn’t crazy.

The bad thing about this was that Nolan was probably crazy.

“Bud?”

“Just give me two seconds to get this drink done.”

“You got it, babe.”

Nolan threw a cloth at the mess that was already spilling over the floor and got to work on the drink.

This had a logical explanation. He had obviously seen the guy before and his subconscious had used him as a way to explore his wildest fantasies, which often included being heard and cuddled, soft kisses on his neck, careful fingers in his hair.

Shaking his head quickly, he focused on the things he could control, like keeping the coffee shop going while G was away and reigning in the worst of TK’s impulses. He filled cup after cup until he didn’t feel his fingers anymore.

Out of the corner of his eye, he kept track of dream guy.

Most people ordered coffee to go, but not dream guy, he was planning on staying for a while. Nolan tried to eavesdrop on his conversation with TK, but he was being oddly antisocial. Maybe the morning rush had finally gotten to him for once in his life.

Nolan put the cup on the counter without looking at dream guy or TK, planning on turning around and cleaning the mess he had made now that there was no one in line anymore, but dream guy had other plans.

“I’m Nico,” he said as if Nolan or TK had asked him. “Nolan, can I call you Nolan? Come talk to me when you take your break,” he said, smiling. He grabbed his cup and his doughnut and left in search of a table.

“Do you know him?” TK asked, suspicious.

“Er, not really,” Nolan said. And he wasn’t lying. He didn’t _know _him. He had been dreaming of him most nights ever since he was 18. He didn’t think there was a sane way to say that out loud.

It wasn’t until Nolan had finished cleaning the spilt coffee that he realized dreamt guy seemed to know _him_.

“Are you going to talk to him, Pats?” TK said, brows furrowed. He had been staring distrustingly at dream guy ever since he had sat down in the corner almost two hours ago.

Technically, Nolan could have taken a break at any moment, since the morning rush was over and the lunch rush wasn’t supposed to start for the next 45 minutes. But he was scared.

His life was weird enough, but he felt it was about to become even weirder.

“I don’t know him,” Nolan said.

“Patty,” he started, but didn’t finish.

One night, when they were drunk on cheap beer and had been playing COD for more than four hours, Nolan had told him about the demons. TK had frozen for a moment and then had laughed. It hadn’t sounded happy at the time, but Nolan had been fairly drunk, so maybe he hadn’t read the situation right. In the end, TK had hugged him a bit tighter than usual and whispered, “I won’t let them get you, Pats” before falling asleep on his shoulder.

Nolan wasn’t sure Teeks remembered that night or what Nolan had told him or even if he had believed him then. But even if he did, even if wearing-camo-is-a-way-of-life-Teeks believed him about the demons that seemed to follow Nolan around without ever doing _anything_, how the hell was he supposed to tell him that he had been dreaming about a guy that had just come into their shop and asked to talk to him.

It sounded insane even to his own ears (not that he was actually saying that out loud, but, you know, his _mind ears_) and he saw demons on a daily basis.

“Kick him out,” Teeks said, “he’s scaring off the clients.”

Which was a complete lie. It was grey and cold outside, so there weren’t many people on the street to begin with. And they had had their usual clients so far. Monica, the cat lady, not that she had a cat, but that’s what TK called her. According to him, she adored cats but was allergic, so she couldn’t actually have one. Pete the banker had come for his black coffee before work. They weren’t sure if he worked at a bank, but they _assumed_, and that’s what mattered. The three college kids that came every morning for their veggie sandwich, which was honestly not really good, but according to them, it was “life-saver, dude.” Whatever, they paid for it. And Carl, on his way to walk his dog, he always bought a bagel. And the rest, who were regular enough that Nolan recognized their faces and their orders, but not special enough that TK and him felt the need to make up a life history for them.

Apart from dream guy, _Nico,_ holy shit, there was the lady who always went there to read her romance novels with her Mocca coffee and her glazed doughnut, and two students cramming for an exam next to the big plant TK was bent on keeping alive by sheer force of will because he always forgot to water it. Every time Nolan pointed it out to him, TK said “it obviously doesn’t need water, Pats, she’s doing great. See?” Nolan didn’t have the heart to tell him he was actually watering it every morning.

Nolan didn’t feel like talking to dream guy, not with images from the things they did together at night forever burnt on his brain. He wasn’t sure if he could look him in the eye. All this time, he had known he wasn’t real. And now he was sitting at the coffee shop where he worked, waiting for him. And he knew his name.

“Patty,” Teeks said.

“Fine, fine.”

He made another cup of coffee and walked to the table.

“You make him pay for it, Patty. We don’t give free stuff in this house!” Teeks said, which was a lie because TK always gave things for free. It was a good thing their boss wasn’t around to care. G was probably rich as fuck.

“Here,” Nolan said to dream guy, putting the cup on the table. “On the house.”

He heard TK’s gasp of indignation all the way from there and that made him smile while he sat down.

“Thanks,” dream guy said.

“Sure.”

For lack of nothing better to do, Nolan started playing with his apron under the table. Maybe he should have taken it off. But his t-shirt was probably wrinkled and the lunch rush would be starting soon.

“This is really good.”

“Thanks,” he said, blushing. “Making coffee is the only thing I’m good at.” He shrugged.

“We both know that’s not true.”

Nolan looked up, but before he could get lost in his eyes, he was startled by a demon staring at him through the window.

He couldn’t catch a break.

“Relax,” dream guy said. “It’s just Jake.”

“Wait,” Nolan said, thoughts going a mile a second in his head. “You can see it?”

“Of course I can,” he said and _waved _at the thing.

Jake.

The demon had a name.

Dream guy, Nico, could see the demon.

Jake waved back.

And the demon could see dream guy.

This was fantastic. Nolan felt like throwing up.

“Why is Voracek here?” TK asked, coming to sit with them.

Nolan just stared at him.

“You can see the demon,” he said, swallowing the nausea.

TK looked at him like a deer caught in headlights.

“Is this some kind of joke?” That was the only rational explanation and Nolan was all about rationality. Specially because he didn’t want to consider his other options.

“You know it’s not,” dream guy said. “You’ve always been able to see them.”

“Yes,” Nolan said slowly, his heart in his throat, “but nobody else has.”

“Well, you’re special.”

“Is that what you’re going with?” TK said, exasperated. “There’s the door, Nico. I’ll do it.”

“Wait, you know him?” Nolan asked, not sure if he was breathing anymore. Everything had taken a dream-like quality. This had to be a dream, except TK was never in his dreams at the same time dream guy was.

“I’ve had the pleasure,” TK said, ironic. “Yeah.”

Nolan felt numb. He didn’t understand what the hell was going on.

“Shut up, I’ve been looking for him for years.”

“Nobody ever said you were very bright.”

“I have the right to take my time,” he continued.

“You people have no right to anything.”

“You know we do, my claim is better than yours.”

“My fists disagree.”

“Oh, please,” dream guy said, rolling his eyes. “Don’t make me hurt you, Teeks.”

“Okay, both of you, stop,” Nolan said. “Can anyone else see him?” he said, pointing with his chin at Jake.

“Nope. Just us.”

“Good. The last thing we need is him scaring the clients. No offence… Jake.”

Jake waved at him. Nolan sent a tight lip smile his way before he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“It’s the orange beard, isn’t it?” dream guy said, sipping his coffee.

Nolan ignored him.

“And you,” he said, looking at TK, “shut up. You told me to come talk to him.”

“No, I told you to come kick him out of the coffee shop, Pats. Instead, you serve him coffee.”

“That’s what we do.”

“Not to people like him.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“What about to people like you?” dream guy asked, staring at TK.

“I’m not like you,” he said, offended.

“Exactly,” dream guy smiled. “I’m more like him than you, so maybe you could excuse yourself from the conversation.”

TK looked like he was about to punch dream guy in the face, so Nolan grabbed his arm.

“Somebody’s going to have to explain to me what’s going on,” he said. “I’ve known you for five years, Teeks, and you’ve never said anything, so I guess I’m sticking with him.”

TK looked hurt, but it was the truth.

“I’m Nico,” he said.

Nolan refrained from saying “I know.” He had known his name in his dreams, but seeing him in person was different. It was odd. Nolan knew him in the most intimate ways a person could know another person, but the guy sitting in front of him was a complete stranger.

“You already knew that, but I felt like we should start over in person,” he finished and waited.

Oh.

“I’m Nolan.”

“Nice to meet you, Nolan,” he said, smiling the wicked smile he always flashed before taking Nolan apart in his dreams.

“So, um, why are you here?”

“I’ve been looking for you.”

“You found me,” Nolan said, “a long time ago.”

Nico smiled.

“And it’s been fun,” he said, his smile was all teeth, “but I didn’t know _where _you were.”

“I’ve always been here.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know where here was.”

“Your demons knew. They’ve been with me my entire life.”

“They’re not my demons, they’re yours.”

“Wait, what.”

“Like I said, you’re special, Nolan.”

He heard TK say “Yer a wizard, Harry” under his breath, and he kicked him. He didn’t feel like laughing right now.

“I’m just me.”

“Exactly.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“You suck at this, Nico.”

“Stop it, Teeks,” Nolan whispered.

“Weird things have happened around you, right?” Nico continued as if TK hadn’t said a word.

Nolan thought of that time they had run out of matches when he was five and they couldn’t light the logs in their chimney on fire. His mom had finished bundling herself in a big blue coat to go buy a box when Nolan had touched the logs and they had started burning in bright red and orange flames. Her mom had just stared at him in wonder and then hugged him really hard.

Or that time when Nolan had had a really bad day and the coffee machine would only pour hot chocolate. TK had had to physically kick him away from it and got it working right in a matter of minutes. They had ended up giving away the 25 cups of hot chocolate Nolan had made.

Or that time when Nolan had been feeling sick when he turned 21 so he had forgotten all about an essay he had to hand in that day until he got to class and his professor asked for it. Suddenly, the lights went out in the entire campus and thick drops of water started pelting against the window. It had been sunny when he had gone in five minutes ago and then the sky was black. Sirens had started blaring and the campus was evacuated. Hurricane warning. That had been a first.

“No,” he lied. He saw demons, but that didn’t count.

Nico smiled knowingly. Nolan had told him about those things in his dreams.

“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” he sang in a whisper, and Nolan blushed.

“Weird things happen to people all the time,” he said, “that’s life.”

“True,” he said, shrugging. And then, “What do you know about your father?”

“Nothing much. Left before I was born.”

He didn’t mention his mom had told him he would be the heir to something massive when he grew up. So far, he only owned a used Xbox, a half redneck flatmate and a stray black cat that he refused to officially adopt but still fed every single day.

Said cat suddenly jumped on the table, and Nolan almost fell off his chair.

“Holy shit!”

TK’s hands kept his ass firmly on the chair, but Nolan was sure he was having a heart attack.

“Void?” he said once he had managed to swallow his heart back. He had seen him outside the shop several times, but he never came inside.

“Oh,” Nico said. “There you are, you filthy little thing. Simmers said you had gone rogue months ago.”

Void hissed at Nico and then jumped on Nolan’s lap, purring against his chest.

“Not that I blame you,” Nico said, sipping his coffee, head on his hand, staring wistfully at him.

Next to Nolan, TK sighed, and Nolan grabbed his hand before he could try to push the cat to the floor.

“Don’t,” Nolan said. They always had the same argument.

“You don’t know where he’s been.”

“It’s a cat,” he said. He froze. “Wait, is it?”

Nico burst out laughing.

“That’s Astaroth,” he said after Nolan stared blandly at him for a couple of minutes.

“Is he your cat?”

TK face-palmed the table.

“Can you get that awful thing off your lap, Patty?”

“I didn’t steal your cat, did I? I– He just appeared one day out of the blue on my window and I started feeding him. Only balanced food, I swear,” he lied. He _mostly_ gave him balanced food, but Void liked to steal raw meat while Nolan was cooking and he had never fallen sick yet. Besides, the last time Nolan had chased him to get it to spit it out, he had ended on his ass and with bruises on his legs from running into the chairs in their apartment that he would swear just kept _moving_.

“Stop adopting things,” TK complained.

“I don’t adopt _things_.”

“Well,” Nico said, “you adopted him,” he said, pointing at TK. Nolan frowned. “And _that_,” he said, smiling at the cat, “is actually a demon.”

“One of the most powerful demons in Hell,” TK said from somewhere under his arms.

The cat hissed at him.

“Fine,” TK said. “_The_ most powerful demon in Hell.”

Nolan’s hand froze on Void’s back.

“You’re a demon,” he said, dumbly.

Void head-butted his hand, shocking him into action. Slowly, his hand went up and down his back, petting him like he always did. He had been petting a demon for months. He wasn’t sure what to make of his life anymore.

“He’s _the_ demon,” Nico said.

“Why did he… go rogue?” he couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. About his cat. That wasn’t a cat.

“Lucifer abandoned Hell.”

“The… devil abandoned Hell.” Right. He didn’t feel like asking any more questions, but his mouth had a life of its own. “Why?”

“Got tired of ruling.”

“Can he do that?”

“He always did what he wanted,” TK said.

“So demons are going to start leaving now?” Nolan asked. “Where? Wait, is that why I see them more often now?”

“They’re looking for their new king,” Nico said.

“No,” TK said.

“Sorry, bud. Your time’s up.”

“What is he talking about?” Nolan asked. “Do you have to go to Hell?” He looked at TK. “Wait, what are you?”

His mind felt so confused he wasn’t sure he was asking the right questions. Definitely not in the right order.

Nico laughed again, and TK glared at him.

“I need some answers here.”

“TK is an angel,” Nico said.

“You had no right telling him that.”

“Well, you’ve had plenty of time to do so. And _I_’m running out of time, so.”

“He’s a demon, Patty,” TK said, accusing Nico with one finger.

“Not exactly,” Nico said, pushing his hand away. “I’m… something more.”

“Which means…?” Nolan said. Somehow, finding out TK was an angel didn’t even make it to the top 5 weirdest things that had happened to him, so he just kept petting Void (a fucking powerful demon in the form of a... cat) and asking questions.

“He commands Lucifer’s armies,” TK spat.

Nico smiled.

Great, Nolan thought, he had spent years sleeping with Lucifer’s general in his dreams. Nolan’s life was officially weird™.

“My best friend is an angel, my cat is a demon and… the guy I’ve been dreaming about for years is Lucifer’s General,” Nolan said. “I make coffee for a living. Why is my life so weird?”

“Because you’re Lucifer’s son.”

The tiny bell over the door tingled, and they all looked towards the door.

“Hiya, lads,” Amanda said. “Why are you sitting on your arse when customers are comin’?”

Nolan was frozen in place.

“Is that a cat on your lap, Patty?” she asked. Her accent always made it sound as if she was saying ‘potty.’ “Cute. Now move and get behind the counter while I grab my apron.”

Nolan grabbed Void and gave it to Nico. The cat didn’t like that, hissing with his hair on end.

“I don’t have time for this,” he said and walked to the counter.

He didn’t meet TK’s eyes during lunch rush. He just completed each order Amanda parroted his way. Head down, hands moving, mind blank.

He was finishing cleaning the counter when Amanda touched his arm. He looked at her and found her looking back with concern in her brown eyes.

“What?”

“You okay, Patty?”

“Long day,” he said.

She smiled.

“I don’t think your cat likes your friend,” she said, pointing with her head to where Nico was still sitting. Void was on the table, hissing at him. Nico looked unperturbed.

“Also,” she added, “I don’t think having animals on a coffee shop table is, ya know, hygienic.”

“Sorry.”

“I’ll clean up and close. Go home, Patty.”

He nodded. Outside, the sky had slowly turned orange, purple and now dark blue.

With precise, careful movements, he took his apron off and hanged it on his locker. He put his coat on, scarf and woollen hat low on his head.

He waved at Amanda and walked towards where Nico and TK were arguing in low voices. He gathered his cat/demon/whatever in his arms and left the coffee shop. He heard chairs move against the floor and hurried steps following him, but he didn’t pay them any mind. He put the cat inside his coat, trying to keep it warm, and was rewarded with a loud purring.

“Jesus,” TK said from behind him. “Have you lost all decency, man? Purring like that, get yourself together.”

“You’re only jealous because you didn’t think of turning into a cat,” Nico said.

Nolan ignored their bickering until they got home.

He opened the door, kicked his shoes off and let Void in. He hanged his coat and took off his hat and scarf. He was about to take his gloves off when Nico grabbed his hands.

“Cute. Kitten mittens,” he said, smiling.

Nolan said nothing, and Nico sighed.

“We need to talk.”

“Not now.”

“Then I’ll find you in your dreams.”

“Where’s TK?”

“I might have closed the door on his face.”

Nolan looked at him.

“He has a key.”

“He probably went to buy something to eat, then. Come on,” he said and pulled him by the hand towards his bedroom.

There, he took his coat off and threw it on a chair. He grabbed Nolan’s hands and took off the mittens slowly.

Looking him in the eye, he said, “I’m sorry I dumped it on you like that.”

“It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Doesn’t it?”

“I…” He closed his mouth, staring at the mess in his room. The bed was unmade, and there were some dirty socks on the floor.

“If you’re worried about your mom,” Nico said, “yes, she knew, and it was consensual.”

Nolan shook his head.

“She never said anything.”

“Can you blame her? That’s one ugly conversation.”

“She let a complete stranger tell me the truth.”

“I’m not a stranger, you know me.”

“No,” Nolan said. “You are just a dream.”

“Obviously, I’m not.” He put his hand over Nolan’s mouth. “And before you even think about it, no, I didn’t use you. I was looking for you. Ever since Lucifer said he was leaving, I... That’s a lie. I’ve been looking for you since he said he had a child. I told him you should be raised in Hell.” Nico sat down on the bed and pulled Nolan with him. He let his hand fall from his mouth and grabbed Nolan’s hand, playing with his fingers. He always did that in Nolan’s dreams.

“Why didn’t he? Raise me in Hell, I mean.”

“He said you deserved a chance at a life. He forbade me from looking for you until you turned 18.”

“Well, you found me.”

“No, _you_ found me.”

“I wasn’t looking for you,” Nolan said. “I didn’t even know you existed.”

“I know, but… I tried looking for you and I couldn’t find you. Something was shielding you from me.”

And then it dawned on him.

“TK.”

“Yeah…”

“But you ended up in my dreams.”

“Yes, because you called me to you.”

“I didn’t. I wouldn’t know how.”

“Maybe it was unconscious, but I can’t walk in on dreams unless I’m invited.”

Nolan shook his head.

“So you found me or I found you or whatever, and you decided it would be fun to sleep with me? In my dreams, I mean.”

“Let me remind you _you_ kissed me first.”

And yeah, he had.

“You didn’t push me away,” he said, blushing.

“Why would I?” Nico touched his lips. “I _wanted _to kiss you.”

“Because I’m Lucifer’s son and… heir to Hell?”

“No, because you’re fun and smart. Because your smile reminds me of spring and I like spending time with you, even when we stay quiet. Because when you touch me,” he said, “I don’t feel the chains that tight me to Hell.”

“Wait, you’re trapped there? But you’re here.”

He shrugged.

“I’m a part of Hell. My powers, my essence, are tied to it.”

“Is it worth it?”

“Commanding Lucifer’s armies? Yes.” After a moment of silence. “I never thought the day would come when I didn’t feel it was enough anymore.”

“Why didn’t he come to tell me himself?”

“He sucks at responsibility.”

That was the understatement of the century.

“I don’t want to be the heir to Hell.”

“I’m afraid that’s not something you can choose.”

“I can choose to keep living my life.”

“Yeah, you could.”

“Your tone of voice doesn’t make me feel so certain.”

“You said it yourself. More and more demons are starting to find you.”

“So what?”

“TK’s kept you shielded, that’s why the demons can only appear in essence in front of you. They don’t know exactly where you are, but they’re drawn to you. Once Lucifer’s hold on Hell weakens completely, nothing will stop them from appearing in their true form on Earth.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Demons need a king, someone to keep them in line.”

“Can’t you do that?”

“I command the armies of Hell, no its citizens.”

“Jake?”

He nodded.

“But they’re evil.”

Nico poked him in the cheek.

“Oh, sweet innocent boy.”

Nolan batted his hand away.

“I’m your king, you can’t talk to me like that.”

Nico laughed at him. And then kissed him on the cheek.

“Actually, I can. Unless I let you put chains around my wrists, I don’t owe you anything.”

“You let Lucifer tie you to him.”

“It was worth it at the time.”

“Now?”

“It might be worth it again, I think,” he said slowly.

“I don’t want to enslave you to me.”

Nico closed his eyes as if he were in agony, muttering something in a language Nolan didn’t know, and then grabbed him by the t-shirt, bringing him closer. He nosed along his cheek, his breath ghosting over his lips.

“That’s what I mean,” he said.

“I bought sushi, Patty!” TK yelled from the other side of the door, hitting it with his fist (or maybe his face, you never knew with TK), almost giving him a heart attack.

“Five more minutes,” Nico said, his mouth still on his cheek.

“Patty?”

“Yeah… I… Five more minutes, yeah.”

After a moment of silence, “Alright, bud.”

“I’m not evil,” Nolan whispered, pulling away so he could look him in the eye.

“Neither I am.”

“You’re like a demon.”

“The Bible lied to you.”

“So Lucifer wasn’t an angel?”

“Of course he was. So was I.”

“I thought… you were something else.”

“Well, yeah. Lucifer was an angel and he fell. When I followed him, I became something more.”

“Why did he fall? Why did you follow him?”

“You moved from your mom’s home.”

“Of course I did. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Lucifer was tired of God always telling him what to do, so he... moved.”

“He fell to Hell because he was tired… of his father,” Nolan said.

Nico shrugged.

“Look, I’m not saying Lucifer and God get along perfectly. They argue all the time, but,” he shrugged, “so do most families. Anyone who says that’s not how families work is trying to sell you something.”

“So… they get along?”

“Something like that,” Nico said.

“But Hell?”

“Some angels wanted to live by their own rules, so they followed Lucifer. He created Hell as their new home.”

“I thought Hell was the place where bad people were punished.”

“Of course it is,” Nico said, smiling. “God in his infinite mercy,” he laughed, “gave Lucifer the bad souls to punish. He was always complaining God didn’t give him enough responsibilities. And evil breeds evil, so demons started appearing. Lucifer welcomed them all.”

“That’s… not what Christianity said happened.”

“Of course not. Boring family drama doesn’t sell books. Why are the English kings famous? Because they did good things or because they screwed up over and over again?”

“I… don’t remember much history.”

“Who’s the most famous English monarch?”

“Henry VIII?”

“Why?”

“He married lots of times and he fought the church to get a divorce?” he tried. “And he killed his wives.”

“See? Drama.”

Nolan shook his head.

“If demons want to live by their own rules, why do they need a king?”

“They need someone to keep them in line.”

“Does it have to be me?”

“They’ve been paying their respects to you since you were born, I think they don’t want anyone else.”

“And if I say no?”

“They will roam the Earth free.”

“And?”

“Bad things happen when you don’t enforce the rules.”

“I don’t want to go to Hell,” Nolan whispered.

His life didn’t amount to much, but he liked it. He liked making coffee, coming home to TK, feeding his cat and playing video games. He liked going for a walk on Sunday afternoons and dragging TK with him. He liked watching stupid nature documentaries with him and arguing about dinner and the pastry display.

Nico buried his hand in his hair and brought him closer.

“Take the day off tomorrow,” he whispered. “Come to Hell with me and let me show you around. You don’t have to make a decision now.”

“What happens to you if there’s no king? Are you free?”

“My powers will always be tied to Hell.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not complaining, _moy korol_.”

He bumped their noses and that’s the exact moment TK chose to open the door.

“You said five minutes.”

“Go away, you pest.”

“Get your hands off him, you demon.”

“You two are related,” Nolan said.

“Sadly,” Nico said against his cheek.

“I’m the superior breed, obviously.”

“You just used ‘breed’ to refer to you and you’re wearing camo socks,” Nico said, his hand still in Nolan’s hair. “I’m pretty sure that contradicts your previous statement.”

“Sushi is getting cold,” TK said.

“Sushi is eaten cold,” Nico said.

“Shut up and get your hands off him.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Stop arguing,” Nolan said, looking at TK and putting his hand on Nico’s wrists.

“He was mine first,” TK said, pouting.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not true,” Nico said, smiling.

“Wait, are you sleeping with him, Patty?”

“No!” Nolan said. “I mean, not with... _him_.”

“What does that mean?” TK asked, his face scrunched in that way that said he was thinking too hard and not liking what he was coming up with.

“It means we’re eating now and never again discussing my sex life,” Nolan said, disentangling himself from Nico even if that was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Until later tonight,” Nico said, and Nolan blushed.

“You’re not staying the night,” TK said, frowning.

“I don’t need to.”

TK stopped dead in the hallway, and Nolan closed his eyes, feeling the argument coming. In his aura or something.

“Have you been _dreaming _of him?”

“Maybe,” Nolan said and picked Void up on his way to the sofa, cheeks on fire. TK’s scream of indignation followed him to the living room.

They did own a table, but it was covered in old mail and empty water bottles.

He sat down on the couch, petting Void, ignoring Nico’s scowl and TK’s frown. At least they agreed on something.

“You should have chained that thing to Hell years ago,” TK said.

“I agree.”

“Why do you hate him so much?” Nolan asked. “I think he’s cute.”

“He just called Astaroth cute,” TK said, sounding as if he was about to puke. “He has a death wish.”

“I think he tamed him,” Nico said carefully, eyes fixed on the cat purring in Nolan’s arms.

“Astaroth can’t be tamed,” TK said, almost offended at the idea. “He destroyed entire civilizations, bloodthirsty bastard.”

Nico pointed at Nolan with his head.

Nolan looked at the cat in his arms. Void looked utterly content being held and petted. It purred loudly, his long black tail swishing from side to side. Nolan scratched him behind his ears, and Void almost melted in his arms.

“I’m hungry,” Nolan said, and TK went to the kitchen.

Nico took advantage of that moment of distraction to sit plastered to Nolan. His nose found his neck, and Nolan shivered.

“Seriously, man?” TK said. He had two bags from their usual sushi place in one hand and dishes in the other.

“Not my fault,” Nico said, breathing him in. “He doesn’t smell in dreams.”

“Thanks,” Nolan said, offended.

Nico kissed his neck.

“I meant that in a good way. There are no smells in dreams. And I like the way you smell.” He grabbed his hand, tracing the line on his palm with his fingers. “I like the way your skin feels–”

“We get it, Jesus,” TK said. “Shut up and eat.”

“I’m not hungry for food,” Nico said, and something in his tone made Nolan’s blood hot with want.

“We’re not going there. I will kick you out,” TK said.

“I’d like to see you try,” Nico said.

Void hissed.

“He will kick both of you out,” Nolan said, petting him until he was resting sleepily on his lap again. “And I feel like letting him.”

“You don’t mean that, Patty,” TK said.

“Shut up and eat,” he said. “Both of you.”

That night, Nico didn’t visit him in his dreams. Or Nolan didn’t call him or whatever it was that they did. There was no need for that. Not when Nico was laying next to him on the bed, his hand heavy over Nolan’s stomach, his breath on the back of his neck.

TK had argued for almost an hour until Void had hissed so loud the lights had gone out for a moment.

Nolan had walked to his room without saying a word, and Nico had followed him.

“You can’t get rid of me so easily, _moy korol_.”

Once both of them were in bed, they had done what they did in most of his dreams. They had talked. Nico had told him about heaven, pastel colours and so much light that some days it hurt his eyes. He told him of Jake and Simmers and Coots and Hayesy. He told him of Hart and all the other angels that had followed Lucifer away of Heaven. Some had kept their mostly human form. Others had decided to embrace their new freedom.

“That’s all we wanted,” Nico had whispered. “Freedom.”

Nolan had listened for hours until Nico had turned them around and told him to go to sleep, Void a warm presence at his feet, TK snoring in the room next door.

After breakfast, Nolan told TK he was taking the day off.

“Why?”

“You know why,” Nico said, happily kicking Nolan’s feet under the table.

“You can’t take him away from me.”

“I’m not taking you away from you,” Nico said, rolling his eyes. “But he can’t make a decision without seeing the whole picture, and you’ve conveniently kept it hidden from him.”

“He doesn’t belong in Hell. Patty belongs with me.”

“I had almost forgotten how dramatic you could be.”

“I’m coming with.”

“No,” Nolan said, a bit harsher than he meant.

“You don’t have to do this.”

“I know,” he said. He wasn’t sure he did. “But I need to know who I am.”

“You know who you are.”

“Not entirely.”

TK look defeated.

“Look at the bright side,” he said, going for a smile. “You get to arrange the pastry display.”

TK smiled sadly.

“Just don’t write anything that will get you punched.”

“Good luck with that,” Nico said. “He has a very punchable face.”

TK nodded.

“You ready?” Nico asked.

“Do I need to take my coat?”

Nico smiled and grabbed his hand, but TK hugged Nolan before they could leave.

“I’m so sorry, Pats.”

“Why?”

“I tried, I swear I tried.”

“Bud.”

“I made you a promise and I didn’t keep it.”

Nolan was stunned for a moment. _I won’t let them get you, Pats._

“This isn’t your fault, Teeks,” he said, hugging him back.

“I should have kept you safe.”

“You did. They were always going to find me, bud. You just made it harder for them.”

“You better bring him back,” TK said, letting him go.

“Bring me back one of those chocolate doughnuts and I might consider it.”

“He’s kidding, Teeks.”

“I wasn’t kidding about the doughnut,” Nico said, brows furrowed.

Nolan shook his head and then felt something warm on his legs. Void was rubbing himself against his shins. He stood on two legs, meowing loudly.

“Is he… Is he asking to be picked up?” TK said.

Nolan crouched and picked him up.

“What’s up, buddy?”

“Come on,” Nico said, his hand on Nolan’s shoulder.

One moment, they were in Nolan’s apartment, TK’s frowning face and the stupid goatee that Nolan wouldn’t admit suited him in front of him. The next, they were in a spacious hall. Nolan turned around wildly and saw a throne made of bones and iron surveilling the entire room. The floor under his feet was black and shiny, the lights were bright and the air smelled… not weird, but it wasn’t a smell he knew. It was sweet and acid at the same time. It wasn’t exactly bad.

“Lucifer always said that’s where he conceived you,” Nico said, pointing at the throne with his chin.

“I don’t want to think about my mother having sex if you don’t mind,” Nolan said.

Nico laughed. “I know for a fact he was lying, if it makes you feel better.”

“Not really,” he said, but he walked towards the throne.

He thought of putting Void on the floor, but one glance at his face told him it wasn’t a good idea.

On the throne, there was a black crown. It didn’t look anything like the crowns from the kings and queens he had studied in school, but much simpler. Still, he couldn’t imagine himself wearing it.

Nolan touched the throne with his hand, his mind quiet. It was cold and the bones were creepy. He wondered if his father had made it himself or if it had been a present from the demons. For a moment, he wondered what the hell was wrong with him that nothing rattled him anymore.

The throne room was silent, his footsteps resonating against the walls, but there was a hum vibrating under his skin. His eyes found the crown again, and Void purred in his arm when Nolan touched it with his finger.

A bright light filled the room suddenly, and Nolan closed his eyes against it. When he opened them, he could hear hundred of voices speaking in different languages. He caught some words in English, but mostly the sounds were melodic but meaningless to him. _King to be_, they were saying. _I knew him, I saw him, I felt him_, they said. _Lucifer’s son, the Afternoon Star,_ they said. _The crown calls to him. Home, he’s finally home._ He turned around and found the hall full. Of people and demons. Some he had seen many times through the years. Others were new.

“Nico?” he whispered.

“Is that it?” a demon asked, the disdain clear in his voice. The sounds dripped from his lips like poison from a snake’s teeth. “That’s who Lucifer thinks we should bow to? An inexperienced child?”

Void started hissing in his arms, and Nico got himself between Nolan and the demons.

“Did you have someone better in mind, Gahel?”

Nolan recognized Jake, he had seen him yesterday, but he was sure his beard was thicker and at least eight inches longer.

“Anyone would be better than him.”

A demon with green fur and horns started talking, and a tall ginger guy with almost no teeth tried to talk over him.

More and more demons joined the argument in different languages, and Nolan didn’t exactly know what to do, he didn’t even understand what they were saying, but they didn’t sound happy.

Void’s hissing got louder, and Nolan’s blood boiled in his veins. Nico was as quiet as a statue, his back to Nolan, looking bigger than life, staring at the demons impassively. Nolan’s stomach was turning in knots and his head was full of voices whispering against his skull, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. He just felt their anger and his thoughts turned black.

“Stop!” he yelled, and the room went silent. Most demons fell to the floor on their ass, some fell to their knees. Nico and Nolan were the only two still standing, but Nico looked pale when he turned to look at him, as if it took everything in his power not to join the others on the floor.

The voices in his head were mercifully quiet, and the fire in his blood cooled down.

“Who said I would be your king?” Nolan said. For once, he didn’t mumble. He thought TK would be proud.

“You’re Lucifer’s son,” a demon said.

“So what? I never said I wanted any of this. _He _didn’t ask me.”

“You just saw what happens when we’re left alone,” Jake said, shaking ashes‒ _demons’ parts_, Nolan realized, off his beard.

“Not my responsibility.”

“A weakling,” Gahel spat.

“He just sat you on your ass with one word,” the demon with no teeth said. “I’d like to see you take him.”

“My pleasure,” he said, taking a step towards Nolan.

“Is that… Astaroth?” another demon asked.

In his arms, Void purred. Nolan thought for a moment that maybe he should start calling the cat by its real name, but it was a mouthful.

“Well,” the demon said, his claws shining in the warm light. “I know who I’m bowing to.” And then he kneeled to Nolan.

One by one, the demons started following him.

Jake patted Gahel on the back.

“Silver lining, you would be an awful king.”

Gahel pushed him, his hand enveloped in black fire.

“Stop,” Nolan said, and Gahel. Just did.

The fire in his hand extinguished, and he looked at Nolan with wild eyes.

“Let me go,” he growled.

“Are you going to stop?” he said with a confidence he definitely didn’t feel. He didn’t know where this power was coming from or how long it’d last.

Gahel didn’t answer.

“You’re in charge of punishment, right?” Nolan asked Nico.

“I’m in charge of whatever you want, _moy korol_.”

Good enough for him.

“You either stop or I let _him_,” Nolan said, pointing with his head at Nico, “do whatever he pleases with you.”

Nico’s smile was all teeth. And it didn’t make Nolan weak in the legs. At all.

“So you’re staying,” Jake said.

“No. I don’t know, but I’m not going to let anyone bully anyone who thinks different.”

“That’s what a king does,” Nico whispered.

“Shut up,” Nolan hissed.

“Go on,” Nico said to the demons. “You heard him.”

As soon as the demons had appeared, they disappeared.

“That was anticlimactic,” Nolan said, and Nico laughed.

He dismissed Gahael with a flick of his wrist, and Nolan stared at the place where the demon had been.

“Ignore what he said.”

“He’s right.”

“I disagree.”

“I don’t know how I did… that. I don’t even know if I can do it again.”

“It’s in your blood.”

“That’s not me.”

“Nolan, yes, it is.”

“And if I don’t want it to be?” he asked in a whisper.

Nico walked towards him and touched his face gently.

“Then you don’t use those powers.”

“I didn’t know I had them 10 minutes ago.”

“Didn’t you?” he said, not unkindly.

“I…” Nolan stopped. He let Void down and walked back to the throne, his back to Nico. He couldn’t think. “Knowing I was weird and knowing I have hellish powers is not the same.”

“I don’t think you’re weird.”

“You command my armies and you share my bed, I don’t think you’re allowed to disagree with me.”

“I disagree with you plenty,” Nico said.

“You just like to be contrary.”

“No, I’m just right most of the time, I’m sorry you can’t relate.”

Nolan rolled his eyes.

“Couldn’t you take my place? I would give you the crown, you know?”

Nico eyed the crown on the throne for a moment, eyes fire red, and Nolan held his breath.

“I don’t like to lead,” he said finally.

“You like to follow, then?”

“If you’re going to wear those jeans, definitely yes,” he said. “Your ass looks great from where I’m standing.”

Nolan blushed, but he wasn’t going to let him change the topic.

“What happens if I don’t accept the crown?”

“I told you–”

“No, what happens to you? Are you free to do whatever you please as long as you stay here? Or do you have to tie yourself to someone to survive?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Shut up, I’m going to worry about you a lot,” Nolan said, maybe to be contrary, maybe because it was true.

Nico pushed his face away, and Nolan thought he was blushing.

“I hate it that you make it really hard for me not to kiss you.”

He disappeared before Nolan could blush. For a moment, he almost freaked out. He was in Hell alone, and the one person he trusted had disappeared, but then he looked around him and stopped feeling scared. Whatever this place was, it was his too, he felt it inside his bones, beating to the rhythm of his heart.

Void walked between his legs, and Nolan looked at him.

“I guess it’s just us, Void.” The cat looked at him with bright orange eyes. “Astaroth? I don’t know how to call you, bud.”

Predictably, the cat didn’t say anything, just purred while he walked to the throne.

Nolan followed him and looked around. The place was still empty, but the silence didn’t feel suffocating, just expectant.

He looked at the crown and the whispers at the back of his mind that he had become very good at ignoring with the years wrestled loudly.

Quick as a shadow, Void jumped into the throne and sat down, waiting for Nolan.

With a deep breath, he slowly picked up the crown.

Nothing happened. No bright lightning, no storm, no explosion.

“Now what?” he asked nobody in particular.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to let the universe talk to him like TK always told him to when they practiced yoga. The blood in his veins settled and the whispers in his head became clearer. They told him stories, things that had been and things that would be. Maybe.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, alone, an iron crown in his hands, a black cat guarding him.

“You can’t stop the inevitable, I guess,” TK said an indefinite amount of time later, getting Nolan out of his head.

He turned to face his friend with a calm he had never felt before. He saw the outline of white wings on TK’s back, the light thrumming under his tanned skin. He blinked and the images were gone.

Nolan didn’t know what to say, he wasn’t sure there _was_ anything to say. Everything had happened so fast. But it made sense.

“All this time,” he said, “you knew. You knew what I was, and you still befriended me.”

“Of course, Patty,” he said, almost offended by the idea. “You’re my best friend. Nothing’s ever going to change that.”

“Even if I accept this crown?” he whispered.

“You’re always going to be my Patty,” he said.

“Can I be both, though?” he asked. “Your Patty and… king of Hell?”

“You can do whatever the hell you want,” he said, smiling. “I hear you’re special.”

“Is that why you…?”

“No, Pats, Jesus.” He shook his head. “By the time I realized who you were, you were already the only person that could stand me. There was no way I was letting you go, Hellish spawn or not.”

That surprised a snort out of him.

“This place calls to you, doesn’t it?”

He nodded slowly.

“I don’t want to give up my life,” he confessed. “I like making coffee and living with you.”

“Who would teach you the correct way to arrange the pastry display, bud? Let’s be honest here, you need me.”

Nolan looked at the crown in his hands.

“But they’ve been waiting for you,” TK said. “And I think you have been waiting for them too.”

“I know what I want,” he said. He had never been very good at lying to TK. “I just don’t know how to go about it.”

“You can always ask for help.”

Nolan nodded slowly.

“Am I… bad?” he asked finally. “For wanting this?”

“Patty, no.”

“It’s not fair,” he said, “I want everything.” TK’s arms closed around him. He got a mouthful of his hair, but he didn’t mind, holding on to him as if his life depended on it.

“You sound like him,” he said. “Your old man.”

“Can I ask you a question?” he said to TK’s neck.

“Of course, bud.”

“What happens to Nico if there’s no king?”

Everything made sense in his head, the history, his powers, Hell, his responsibilities. But Nico didn’t add up.

“He gave up his wings for power. Lucifer didn’t have powers to grant, none that weren’t his own, so Nico took them from Hell.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means he can leave whenever he wants and he can leave his powers behind. He’d be just a fallen angel, like the rest of this sorry lot.”

“But?”

“What do you mean?”

“If I accept the crown, do I have to enslave him to me?”

“Patty, no, what are you talking about?” TK said, hands on Nolan’s shoulders. “Nobody, and you listen to me, nobody can enslave Nico against his will.”

“If there’s no king–”

“It doesn't matter. I told you, he draws his powers from this place. As long as Hell exists, Nico will be one of the most powerful bastards to roam the Earth.”

“And if I take the crown?”

“And tie him to you?” Nolan blushed. “You’ll just make him stronger.”

Nolan nodded.

“For the record, I hate saying this, but I see the way he looks at you.”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

“Gladly, bud, but you will need to talk to him eventually.”

“I know.” And after a moment, “Is it weird that I don’t find this weird?”

“Destiny, Pats.”

“I thought we made our own destiny?”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?”

At night, Nolan couldn’t exactly sleep. He was used to the sounds of his tiny apartment, the cars on the street, Void scratching the window, asking to be let in, TK getting up to go to the bathroom at precisely 4:13 am.

Hell had its own noises, and Nolan was too busy trying to put names to them to fall asleep.

It had been a week, and Nico hadn’t appeared in any of his dreams. It had to be by his own choice, because there was not a world in which Nolan didn’t call him, consciously or not.

He turned on the bed, saying his name over and over again like a prayer in his mind.

Astaroth almost gave him a heart attack when he jumped on his chest.

“Fucking hell,” he said, arm over his eyes, breath coming in gasps. “You scared the shit out of me.”

The cat just sat on his chest, licking its paw and staring at him.

“What?” Nolan finally bit.

Astaroth meowed, and Nolan almost reminded him he didn’t speak cat.

Except, maybe he did?

“He doesn’t want to see me,” he whispered, and Astaroth stared at him as if he were an idiot. If cats could judge, Astaroth was definitely judging him.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Astaroth rolled his eyes. Apparently, that was something cats did.

“Shut up,” Nolan said, and tried to push him off, but Astaroth was quicker. He jumped again and sat in front of the door, meowing pitifully until Nolan stood up. “Fine, Jesus. Be quiet.”

He opened the door and started walking. He didn’t know where Nico slept, but he didn’t have a doubt he could find him, his name in his mind pulling him as if he was Theseus following the thread back to safety. And maybe he should stop letting Coots tell him about Greek myths for hours, it was starting to rub on him.

Of their own accord, his feet stopped in front of a door, and Nolan froze. Should he knock?

Fuck it.

He opened the door and went in.

It was dark inside, but there was enough light from the hallway that Nolan found the bed.

“Anything you need, _moy korol_?” Nico drawled.

Nolan closed the door and went in.

“For you to stop ignoring me.”

“Who said I’m ignoring you?”

“I just did.”

He felt Nico’s smile in the darkness.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

“I’m tired of dreamless nights.”

“Come here,” he said, and Nolan was already moving before Nico had opened his mouth.

When he reached the bed, Nico grabbed his hand and pulled him down towards him.

“I was giving you space,” he said, his breath ghosting over Nolan’s face.

“I’ve been here a week waiting for you to finish giving me space.”

Nico laughed and the sound made goosebumps rise on Nolan’s skin.

His hand found Nolan’s face, his fingers caressing his cheek tenderly, barely there. Nolan grabbed his wrist before he could pull away.

“I was calling for you.”

“I heard you.”

“You didn’t answer.”

“I don’t want you to make your decision for the wrong reasons.”

“I think you could be the right reasons.”

Nico bumped their noses together and turned him around, plastering himself to his back.

“Go to sleep, Nols.”

“I’ll see you in my dreams?” he whispered.

“Yeah, love.”

“Are you going home?” Nico asked.

Nolan turned around.

“I’m home,” he said. “But yeah, I have work. I’ll be back later, yeah?”

Nico kissed his cheek.

“Are you taking the little furry rat with you?”

“I don’t know if you’re talking about Teeks or Astaroth.”

Nico’s laugh was like the first ray of sunlight after a long storm.

“I’ll miss you while I’m gone,” Nolan blurted. He hated talking about his feelings, but Nico had a way of making him speak without him even knowing what he was going to say first. It was scary and exciting at the same time.

“Here,” he said, and took a dark grey metal ring from his finger. “So you won’t miss me.” Slowly, he put the ring on his finger, giving Nolan enough time to pull away.

“I don’t have anything to give you,” he said, breathless. He felt stupid, it was going to be only a couple of hours until he saw him again, but he felt a jab under his ribs when he was away from Nico and he didn’t like it. The last couple of days, he had grown used to having him close every hour, to turn around and find him looking at him.

“How about a kiss?” It sounded almost shy coming out of his mouth.

They hadn’t done anything, not in his dreams, not in the real world, since Nolan had found out, well, everything. Not that he didn’t want to, he felt want burn in his stomach every time Nico kissed his cheek, held his hands, touched him, but it never went further. Nolan’s hands itched with the need to touch him, to bring him closer, but he managed to keep himself in check.

Now, he got closer and grabbed his face between his hands, kissing him as if the world ended in his lips. Nico kissed back with as much force. When Nolan opened his mouth, Nico growled, his hands everywhere.

But they were interrupted by an offended meow.

“Shut up, you ugly furry,” Nico said, against Nolan’s lips.

Astaroth meowed again and walked between Nolan’s legs.

“Okay, okay,” he said, still glued to Nico. “I’m going.”

Nico nipped his lower lip and licked inside his mouth one more time before taking a step back and glaring at Astaroth.

“Stop it or I’ll neuter you, see how you like that.”

“Don’t antagonise him,” Nolan whispered.

Nico was not impressed by Nolan picking up his cat and petting him.

“That’s a demon.”

“He likes it when I scratch behind his ears,” he said, proving his point by making Astaroth purred loudly.

“Disgusting.”

Nolan kissed him, licking his lip and biting softly. Nico made a sound low in his throat that sounded like a growl. It made Nolan smile.

“Oh, shut up,” he said, pushing his head away. “Go.”

Nolan closed his eyes and teleported back to his apartment. It had taken him three days to stop teleporting against walls or on tables. Nico had laughed every time he had hit something (or someone‒ Jake hadn’t enjoyed that one bit). But he had managed. He only stumbled twice before he got his feet under him.

“Pretty smooth, huh?”

Astaroth didn’t seem to agree with him, jumping from his arms and disappearing around the corner.

Nolan changed quickly and walked to the coffee shop. Amanda had obviously opened today because the sign was written with perfect spelling, but TK had added a pride flag in the corner. Nolan couldn’t find it in himself to care.

“Mornin’,” Amanda said when he opened the door. “Hiya, Patty Potts,” she said when she saw it was him and waved a pink donut to the rhythm of whatever song was playing from their old speakers.

Nolan nodded at her and rolled his eyes at the pastries display.

“That’s awful,” he mumbled.

“Get here in time next time and arrange them however you want, Pats,” TK said, sipping his coffee, content.

Nolan smiled and grabbed the cup he handed him, listening as Amanda sang a Miley Cyrus’s song and didn’t hit a single note.

“Are you‒” TK said and then stopped.

They were closing the shop for the night. Amanda had left a bit earlier to catch the last train, so it was just TK and Nolan in the shop. And Astaroth cleaning his paws in the corner.

Nolan finished cleaning a table and turned to look at him.

“What?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It obviously does,” he said, “for you to have that constipated look on your face.”

“I told you it’s nothing!”

“Oh, so that’s your normal face?”

“Shut up, asshole.”

Nolan laughed and TK ended up chasing him around the shop for ten minutes.

When they finally stopped to catch their breath, Nolan messed his hair.

“What were you going to ask?”

“Are you coming back?” TK blurted.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Of course you are.”

“Teeks‒”

“I know what that ring means,” he said, pointing with his chin at the ring Nico had given him.

Nolan had spent every free moment touching it, circling it around his finger over and over again. He couldn’t explain it, but every time he did, he smelled autumn leaves and rain, as if Nico was standing next to him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Nico gave it to you,” he said, sounding sad.

“He did.”

“Nolan,” he said, serious for once. “You tied him to you, that means you’re going back. To Hell, I mean.”

“Wait, what?”

“Hell, that ugly place my idiotic brother calls home,” he said slowly, as if Nolan was dumb.

“I know what Hell is,” he said, punching him in the arm. “I didn’t tie anyone to me.”

“You accepted the ring.”

“It’s just a ring,” he stuttered.

TK looked at him sadly, and maybe Nolan should be used to knowing things were never what he thought they were. His cat was not a cat. His best friend wasn’t human. The guy from his dreams… well, he was the _demon_ from his dreams.

And this ring…

“He didn’t say anything.”

TK rested his head on Nolan’s shoulder.

“Would you have told him no?” he asked even though he probably knew the answer.

“No,” Nolan said in the end.

TK’s hand tightened over his wrist.

“I’m going to fucking miss you, you know?”

“You dumb fuck,” Nolan said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Patty‒”

“Shut up. I won’t‒ I won’t be here every single day, but someone has to keep you in line.”

“You and your ugly fashion sense are going to keep me in line?”

“Excuse me,” he said, offended.

“Didn’t they teach you how to tie your shoes in Hell?”

“At least I’m not wearing a t-shirt that’s two sizes too small.”

“It looks good on me.”

“It looks _small_ on you, bud.”

“Carts disagrees.”

“Wait, what?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“Do you mean‒” But they didn’t know anyone named‒ _oh_. “Carter?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, bud.”

“You’re sleeping with _my_ Carter?”

“First of all, he’s not your Carter.”

“He’s my subject!”

“I’m sorry, Henry VIII.”

“Why does everyone only remember that guy?”

“Because he married, like, five women and murdered them all.”

Nolan shook his head.

“Back to Carter,” he tried.

“Back to Nico,” TK said, and Nolan blushed. “Exactly.”

They stayed in silence for a long moment. Outside, the sky grew darker and darker. He could hear cars outside and people on the streets. But inside their small shop, it was just the two of them, their breaths and the rustle of clothes because TK couldn’t hold still for more than two seconds, even if they were having a moment, Christ.

“I didn’t know,” he said. “What the ring meant.”

“He did.”

Nolan didn’t say anything.

“It was his choice.”

“Is it a choice if you don’t have one?”

“He did have a choice.”

“How can you say that when he just_ enslaved_ himself to me?” he asked, angry all of a sudden.

“Because it was his choice.”

“Stop repeating that. It’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said,” he huffed, “and you say lots of stupid things.”

“All Nico ever wanted was to be free to make his own choices. And he is. And he did. It’s not up to you to decide if they’re good or bad.”

“It is up to me if his choice affects me.”

“But it doesn’t,” TK said, stubborn. “He chose you.”

“I didn’t ask him to.”

“Exactly.”

“Shut up.”

“Go to him,” he said, patting his arm.

“No more you’re-leaving-me-forever-what-will-I-do-without-you-pats scenes?”

“You’re an asshole.”

“Do you have a date?”

“You’re going to be just fine,” he said. “We all make choices we have to live with, Patty. And you should ask Nico, but I’m pretty sure he can live with this one.”

He kissed his hair before disappearing in a burst of blinding light.

Breathing deeply, Nolan felt a thread _tug _inside his chest. He closed his eyes and let his heart follow it back home.

The problem with having Nico come to the coffee shop was that TK spent the entire shift glaring and making faces at him instead of working, so Nolan was forced to kick him or nudge him. Which didn’t help, because then TK complained Nolan was playing favourites. Amanda had had to break more than her fair share of fights, but she wasn’t angry.

“Here,” she said, giving Nico a purple doughnut Nolan had no idea they sold in the shop. “On the house.”

“Wait, what?” TK asked.

“Thank you,” Nico said, smiling.

“No, thank you,” she said. “I’ve never been more entertained in my life.” She pointed at TK and then at Nolan. “Also, you two are closing. See ya tomorrow, losers.”

She took her apron off, grabbed her coat from the employees room and left without saying another word.

“What just happened?” Nolan asked.

“Amanda is playing favourites too,” TK answered, pouting.

“Shut up.”

“Stop making lovey-dovey eyes at him!”

“I’m not doing anything!”

“If you’d just let me take him back to our room, he’d be making lovey-dovey eyes at me, but you wouldn’t have to see him,” Nico said, smiling.

“You shut up,” TK said, finger pointing angrily. “It’s my turn to get Patty.”

“You do realize I’m not a kid whose parents got divorced? You don’t have to fight for my custody or anything.” He started cleaning the table. The sooner he finished, the sooner he’d be able to leave. He couldn’t really trust Teeks to help.

“But I do! He got you yesterday. And the day before.” He was in full pouting mode now. “What does he have that I don’t?”

“A really nice cock,” Nico said.

Nolan was done. He left the cloth on the table, grabbed his coat and closed the coffee shop door behind him, drowning their voices.

Astaroth appeared a couple of seconds later, walking between his legs as if trying to make him fall. By now, though, Nolan was immune. He nudged him carefully with his foot to the side and kept walking until he got to the apartment. He fed him and took a quick shower.

By the time he was done, Nico was laying on his bed. His eyes followed him all the way to his dresser.

“I wouldn’t get dressed if I were you,” he said. “You’re going to end up naked soon anyways.”

“Says who?” Nolan said, clutching his towel and sending him an unimpressed look over his shoulder.

Judging by the smirk playing on Nico’s lips, he knew how fast Nolan’s heart was beating.

Nico didn’t answer, too busy staring at him with brown eyes full of lust. _Appreciation_, as he called it.

Nolan touched the ring on his finger and Nico closed his eyes, biting his lip.

“You either come here, or I go to you,” he said lowly. “But you’re not leaving this room any time soon.”

Nolan smiled. His stomach was full of sweet fire, but he stayed where he was.

“Teeks‒”

“I told him to stay away for two hours,” Nico said. “I’m sure Carter won’t mind entertaining him for a bit. Now, what’s it gonna be, _moy korol_?”

Nolan walked towards the bed slowly and then let Nico grab the towel and drop it on the floor before pushing him on the bed.

His lips were like whiskey on his, burning and intoxicating, and Nolan let himself enjoy every single sensation. Being with Nico didn’t compare to his dreams, though those had been pretty incredible to begin with. No matter how many hours they spent together on the bed (or the floor, or the sofa or that time Nico bent him over the kitchen counter), Nolan could never get enough. He felt Nico on his skin and inside, deep in his bones.

Nico buried his hand on his hair and tilted his head to deepen the kiss, and Nolan brought him closer with hands and nails and teeth. The only sounds in the room were their bodies moving against each other and their heavy breaths.

Nolan turned them around, kissing every bit of skin he could find, savouring the taste. He loved every moment with Nico: when they were alone, soft kisses and quiet words; when they spent hours in silence, just keeping each other company; when they argued, each one stubborn in thinking they were right, wet kisses and hot moans after they made up

It didn’t take long for their bodies to find their own rhythm, and Nolan let himself just look at Nico, feel him, taste the sweat on his skin, hear the sweet nothings he panted in his ear.

After, when they were both spent, Nolan kissed the back of Nico’s neck and closed his eyes, feeling content.

Hell, the coffee shop, the demons, a lazy cat that only wanted pets and a best friend that couldn’t be left unsupervised would still be there when he opened his eyes again.

For now, inside this room, with Nico’s hand on top of his, his heart beating against Nolan’s chest, and their combined smell on the sheets, he felt at peace.

Nolan was really considering hiring someone new. Everytime Nico came to the coffee shop, which was _a lot_, TK stopped working to argue with him. At first, Nolan had thought he did it out of some twisted loyalty, trying to preserve Nolan’s purity or some shit. Now he knew TK did it because he didn’t feel like working.

Amanda hip-checked him on her way to grabbing her coat.

“Seems like they’re getting along, ey,” she said, smiling.

Nolan didn’t know if he wanted them to get along or not.

“Or something,” he said.

“Hello, my underlings,” a voice boomed from the door.

“Hey, boss,” Amanda said. She kissed him on the cheek and left.

“Hey, G,” Nolan said, taking his apron off.

“Everything alright, son?” He strolled into the coffee shop with his head held high, looking imposing as ever in his suit, irradiating a confidence that only came with years of wearing it on your shoulders. He looked like he owned the world.

And Nolan thought it was true. At least in part. He did own the shop after all.

“As usual,” he said, shrugging.

“What do we have here?” G asked, tilting his head towards Nico and TK, who were staring at G as if he had shaved all his body hair.

Nolan checked. Nop, his beard was where it had always been and his hair didn’t look any greyer than the last time he had seen him.

And then it hit him.

“Oh,” he said, “that’s TK. Remember I told you I’d hire him?”

G was mostly out of town, so it was up to Nolan, Amanda, Jenny, TK and Camila to keep the shop going. Nolan didn’t mind. G called him regularly to check on things, never complained about any of the decisions Nolan made and stayed out of his hair. It worked for them. The few times he dropped by, he made sure Nolan didn’t need anything, he took him out for dinner and then disappeared again for a couple of months.

“I remember,” G said slowly. “But I don’t remember you telling me he was an angel.”

Nolan stopped dead on his tracks.

“What?”

“What?”

“You bastard,” Nico said, shaking his head.

“Hey,” G said, pointing at him. “Watch your language.”

“That’s Nico,” Nolan said slowly. He was going to say _my boyfriend_, but Nico was more than that. And his mouth couldn’t move to form the words, still going over and over the word _angel_. He knew. G knew.

“I know that’s Nico,” G said.

Nolan’s mind short-circuited.

“You know him.”

G rolled his eyes.

“This is where you’ve been sneaking to?”

Nolan looked between them, confused.

“How long?” Nico asked, and G shrugged. “You’ve been getting acquainted with him?”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, you’ve been getting acquainted with him too.”

Nico shrugged, smiling.

“For years, yeah.”

“I can’t believe this,” TK said.

“We’ve been having sex for months, TK, we’ve been over this,” Nico said, rolling his eyes.

“Not that, you asshole,” he said, punching Nico in the arm. “I can’t believe you ditched your duties as king of hell to open a fucking coffee shop, man,” he said, pointing at G with one finger smeared in flour.

Fuck.

Nolan sat down heavily on a chair and almost had a heart attack when Astaroth jumped out of the blue on his lap.

“Jesus,” Nolan said, trying to swallow his heart back. “You need to stop doing that.” He put his hand over his back, and Astaroth purred.

“Astaroth?” G said. “I see you’ve found a new master.” He tilted his head. “You traitor, you never turned into a cat when you were with me.”

“What did he look like when he was with you?” Nolan asked. His mind was not working, and that was the only thing he could think of.

“A big, very scary… furry thing.”

“Lots of teeth,” Nico added.

“He smelled like rotten eggs,” TK said, scrunching his nose.

Astaroth bumped Nolan’s hand with his head, asking for more pets. Nolan obliged.

“Did you really not know?” G asked. He was never careful with Nolan, but he looked… shy.

“Are you kidding me, man?”

“I thought you knew!”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” he said in the end.

“I’ve been calling you son since the moment I met you, what did you think that meant?” G looked around as if anyone else could answer that question. “I don’t call Amanda daughter.”

“He’s not the brightest,” TK said, nodding.

“Hey.”

“You fell for him,” TK said, pointing at Nico.

“We’re talking about that later,” G said.

“No, we’re not.”

“Are you guys using protection?”

Nico laughed. Nolan felt like throwing Astaroth at G’s face. Lucifer’s face. _His dad_’s face.

“I’m a worried parent.”

“No, shut up,” Nolan said. “Everybody, shut up.” He took a deep breath and looked at G. His face was as familiar as his own, but he didn’t think they looked anything alike. “You’ve always known.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you back now?”

“I wanted to check on you.”

“You felt the shift in power,” TK said.

“That too. I taught you how to run a coffee shop,” he said, looking at Nolan, “I thought I could teach you how to run Hell.”

“Or,” Nolan said. “You could do that yourself.”

“Nah, I’d rather reconnect with your mother and leave you in charge.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Dude,” Nolan said, “that’s my mom you’re talking about.”

“I know, boy, I chose her.” He actually _winked_.

Nolan was going to throw himself into oncoming traffic.

“I really don’t want to be here right now.”

“Let me take you home, then,” Nico said, winking.

“You mean the apartment or Hell?” TK asked.

“Boys,” G said in a warning tone.

“You don’t get to come in here, tell me you’re my dad and Lucifer and... “ Nolan shook his head. “And then tell me I can’t fuck my boyfriend,” he finished lamely. He felt like a child, blushing because his parents had caught him kissing someone on the cheek.

“Are we having sex, love?” Nico asked, and Nolan glared at him. “You look like you’re in the mood, babe,” he said, smiling.

G threw something at Nolan. It landed with a thud on the table. Nolan looked up.

“Like I said, use protection.”

“Awesome, thanks,” Nico said, grabbing the box of condoms and pushing Astaroth off Nolan’s lap with the back of his hand.

The cat landed on the floor, hissing at Nico.

“Yeah, yeah, shut up. I have no respect for you when you look like a fat cat.”

“My cat is not fat,” Nolan said.

Nico didn’t bother answering, just grabbed his hand and pulled him up, walking out of the shop.

“Lunch tomorrow, son!”

“God, I–”

“Yes, we need to talk about your grandpa!” he yelled.

Nolan could see he was still talking, hand over his mouth, trying to make the sound carry, but the door closed on his next sentence, and Nolan didn’t have the energy to do anything other than let Nico take him home.

Home ended up being Hell. Or Nico’s room in Hell. Or Nico and Nolan’s room in Hell, because Nolan hadn’t gone back to his room since he had first slept in Nico’s bed the first time he visited Hell all those months ago.

“We’re not having sex,” he said, stupidly.

“I know that, but I thought you could use some peace and quiet.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I know,” Nico said, pushing him gently down on the bed. “I didn’t know either. I’m sorry you had to find out like that.”

“Between you, TK and G, there’s not an ounce of tact.”

“It runs in the family, it seems.”

Nolan’s blood turned cold.

“Wait, are we related?” He had never considered it before. But TK and Nico were related, they had admitted that much. And if Nico was an angel, and Lucifer had been an angel, then maybe they were related, and Nolan had been fucking his… what, cousin?

Nico laughed, not caring that Nolan was having a heart attack.

“Very, very, and I mean _very_, distantly related, love.”

Nolan didn’t know if that made him feel better or he was just in shock and couldn’t process any other revelation tonight.

“I thought my life would be less of a shit show _after_ I became king of Hell.”

“Well, it’s never boring, I’ll give you that.”

“I’m tired,” he said, he could feel it deep in his bones.

Nico helped him kick his shoes and jeans off. His t-shirt landed somewhere on the floor. And then they were in bed. Nico was a wall of warmth against his back, his breath comforting on his neck. Nolan relaxed for the first time in what felt like days.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” Nico said after they had spent some time in silence.

“I don’t know what I want.”

“That’s alright, you’ve got time to figure it out.”

And then, “What happens if he wants to come back to Hell?”

“He doesn’t.”

“I know, but.” Nolan stopped. Did he know that? G had always been an open book to him, but he felt as if he didn’t know him anymore. “What happens with you if he comes back?”

“We’ve all chosen new masters. Hell has welcomed you as its new king, there’s nothing Lucifer can do to change that.”

“I’m not your master,” Nolan said, pouting.

“Yeah, yeah, my soulmate.”

“Is that what we are?”

Nico didn’t answer for a while, and Nolan thought he had finally fallen asleep, his breath ghosting over his skin.

“I don’t know.”

“So we weren’t meant to be?” After all, Nolan had found him even when he hadn’t know he had been looking for him, so maybe destiny had intervened after all

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay.” He swallowed hard.

Nico moved his hand from Nolan’s stomach to his hand, touching the ring he had given him with his finger.

“Does it really matter? Destiny, I mean,” he said. He brought Nolan’s hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I chose you a long time ago. And I keep choosing you every single day. I don’t need anyone or anything to tell me you’re it for me. I already know that. It was my choice.”

Nolan turned around then, desperate to see his face.

“Me too,” he whispered against his lips, and he kissed him. “You, I mean. It’s the same for me,” Nolan said, the words falling from his mouth one after the other, sounds mixing, in his haste to get them out. He needed Nico to understand. “I choose you.”

“I know,” Nico said and kissed him quiet.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone's doing alright.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! <3
> 
> passengersinwriting on tumblr for updates (or thisishowgalaxiescollide for hockey, I miss my boys) :)


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